Operations Manager

Job Info

Job Identification

2695

Job Category

DE&S Operational Delivery

Locations

Lossiemouth, Morayshire, United Kingdom

Apply Before

02/11/2026, 23:55

Organisation: Defence Equipment & Support

Salary: £36,000 per annum (plus generous benefits)

Grade: Senior Technical Specialist I

Working Pattern: Full time, Part time, Job Share, Flexible Working

Contract Type: Permanent

At Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), we supply and maintain vital equipment and services for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Together, we deliver a vast range of essential defence programmes, and strive for what's next. Because it helps keep our military at the top of their game and our nation safe – for today, and tomorrow.

DE&S has recently been integrated into the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group. The NAD Group brings together key Ministry of Defence (MOD) organisations to unite expertise across science, technology, procurement, infrastructure, and support to provide integrated capabilities faster and more efficiently for our armed forces and our allies. This is an exciting new opportunity to enable better ways of working and empower greater collaboration across Defence. For further information about the NAD Group, please visit: National Armaments Director Group - GOV.UK

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of 28.97%, to help make work work for you.

For security reasons this role is open to sole UK nationals only. A ‘sole UK national’ refers to an individual who holds citizenship solely in the UK, without dual citizenship or nationality from another country. We’re unable to offer visa sponsorship.

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years and obtain Security Check (SC) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you’ve been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained, or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining SC security clearance can be a lengthy process, and we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made if the necessary security clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months.

Job description

Ready to turn data into better Defence outcomes? As a Data & Governance Operations Manager, you’ll play a key role in supporting the P-8 Poseidon and E-7 Wedgetail programmes, coordinating performance, governance, risk, issues and dependencies across a complex delivery environment.

You’ll bring together data and management information from across the enterprise and use it to provide clear insight into delivery performance, support effective decision-making and help improve aircraft availability and capability. You’ll monitor key performance indicators, track progress against plans and objectives, and ensure actions are effectively managed through to completion.

Working collaboratively with military, industry and stakeholders, you’ll build strong relationships across the programmes, particularly with local Operations Managers, providing the information and insight they need to support successful delivery outcomes. You’ll identify emerging risks, issues and opportunities for improvement, helping to drive greater coherence across plans, objectives and governance activities.

This is an excellent opportunity to work at the heart of two significant Defence aviation programmes, using data, governance and performance insight to help support effective delivery.

We champion flexible ways of working. Regular in-person attendance at RAF Lossiemouth is required (this is expected to be approximately 60% of your working week) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

What you'll be doing

• Support governance, performance reporting and management information activities across the P-8 Poseidon and E-7 Wedgetail programmes, coordinating inputs, maintaining reporting products and providing insight to support decision-making.
• Maintain oversight of programme risks, issues, dependencies, milestones and performance measures, identifying emerging trends and concerns and coordinating actions to improve availability, capability and delivery performance.
• Coordinate weekly contributions to P8 and E7 CASP, strategy and governance activities working with military, industry and DE&S stakeholders, ensuring reporting remains coherent, actions are tracked and priorities remain aligned.
• Analyse performance data and continuous improvement activity, monitor delivery against objectives and contractual commitments, and deputise for the P-8, E-7 and Training Operations Managers at governance, planning and performance forums as required.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Lead Criterion: Previous experience in an Operations Management role or associated discipline (Project Management, Supply Chain, Engineering, Business Management, Through Life Support), in a delivery environment.
• Evidence of stakeholder and relationship management.
• Evidence of understanding and delivering against customer requirements and expectations in a complex delivery environment.
• Evidence of participating in continuous improvement activities.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Core Behaviour 1: Working Together
• Core Behaviour 2: Managing a Quality Service
• Technical Competence 1: Stakeholder Management - Supervised Practitioner
• Technical Competence 2: Governance and Performance Reporting - Supervised Practitioner

Offered benefits

• 25 days’ annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the King’s birthday
• Flexible and hybrid working options
• Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 28.97%
• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts
• Volunteering days
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you’ll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of - and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

Further information

• Civil Service Recruitment Principles: Recruitment Principles - Civil Service Commission
• Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES-candidate-information-pack
• Terms and Conditions: https://bit.ly/DES-Terms-and-Conditions
• Civil Service Code: The Code - Civil Service Commission

Any personal data that you provide during the Recruitment process will be treated in accordance with the MOD Privacy Notice

Disability Confident:

Please note as a Disability Confident Leader we want to ensure you receive any reasonable adjustments that you need throughout the recruitment process. If you do require any reasonable adjustments, you can let us know on your online application under the section ‘Please indicate and give details of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the recruitment process.’

Conflicts of Interest:

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

Selection Process Details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

• Pre-sift - We will check your application to ensure that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.

• Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.

• Interview - If you're invited to interview, you will be assessed against the following:

• CV Review

• Core Behaviour 1

• Core Behaviour 2

• Technical Competencies

Please Note: In the event of a tied score at interview, the Order of Merit will be distinguished based on the ranking of the assessed behaviours and competencies below:

• 1st: Core Behaviour 1
• 2nd: Core Behaviour 2
• 3rd: Technical Competencies
• 4th: CV Review

In the event of a further tie using the method above, we reserve the right to utilise the Lead criteria, and/or an additional assessment. Please note for this specific assessment, the Lead Criteria will be:

Previous experience in an Operations Management role or associated discipline (Project Management, Supply Chain, Engineering, Business Management, Through Life Support), in a delivery environment.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact department via email ([email protected].)

Offering at a lower level

If you’re not successful at interview, we may offer you a role at a lower level if this is a match for your skills and experience. If this applies to your application, you’ll be scored against criteria for the lower-level role and offers will be made in merit order. If you accept this position, you’ll be able to take advantage of opportunities to develop your career as part of our team.